Houston bans smoking in city parks

Updated 5:02 pm, Wednesday, July 23, 2014

Houston city parks soon will be smoke-free and a ban already in place at libraries will be expanded to include all outdoor library property, staff announced at a city meeting Wednesday, July 23, 2014.

Houston city parks soon will be smoke-free and a ban already in place at libraries will be expanded to include all outdoor library property, staff announced at a city meeting Wednesday, July 23, 2014.

Photo: Johnny Hanson / Houston Chronicle

Image 2 of 3

Houston city parks soon will be smoke-free and a ban already in place at libraries will be expanded to include all outdoor library property, staff announced at a city meeting Wednesday, July 23, 2014.

Houston city parks soon will be smoke-free and a ban already in place at libraries will be expanded to include all outdoor library property, staff announced at a city meeting Wednesday, July 23, 2014.

Photo: Johnny Hanson / Houston Chronicle

Image 3 of 3

Houston city parks soon will be smoke-free and a ban already in place at libraries will be expanded to include all outdoor library property, staff announced at a city meeting Wednesday, July 23, 2014.

Houston city parks soon will be smoke-free and a ban already in place at libraries will be expanded to include all outdoor library property, staff announced at a city meeting Wednesday, July 23, 2014.

Photo: Johnny Hanson / Houston Chronicle

Houston bans smoking in city parks

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Houston city parks soon will be smoke-free and a ban already in place at libraries will be expanded to include all outdoor library property, staff announced at a city meeting Wednesday.

Both department heads said the move is driven by public health and environmental concerns.

The parks policy marks the most dramatic shift: There currently is no smoking ban at city parks. That is in contrast to 36 other Texas cities and seven of the country's largest cities that already have bans in place.

Smoking currently is banned inside library buildings and within 25 feet of the entrance. Library Director Rhea Lawson made it clear at a Febuary quality of life meeting that she would like to broaden regulations to include library property, such as parking lots and plazas. At Wednesday's meeting, she said the time had come to put those rules into effect.

The expanded library ban will be implemened at downtown locations, the Central Library and Julia Ideson Building, on Thursday. It will be rolled out at other city libraries by Sept. 2. The parks ban also will go into effect Sept. 2.